Soap bar wrapper

ABSTRACT

The package with reinforced regions can be produced from a single sheet of material, preferably in-line with the packaging of an item. Gusset-like folds are made to form the reinforced regions of the film material that is to form the package. The reinforcement will be through at least a three-ply section between a center panel and side edge panels. The gusset-like folds provide a significant reinforcement due to the multi-ply nature of such folds. These folds can be made in any part of a film that is subsequently used to make a package.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the packaging of soap bars. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to the packaging of soap bars thathave radiused edges and an arched lower surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In many soap bar wrappers there is a need for a two piece wrapping. Thisparticularly is the case when he soap bar is not in a substantiallyrectangular shape. This two piece wrapping is comprised of an innerpartial wrapper called a stiffener and an outer wrapper which fullyencircles and encloses the stiffener and the soap bar. The stiffenerlaterally substantially encircles the soap bar and shapes an outerwrapper into a substantially rectangular shape on an outer wrapper. Theends are open, the outer wrapper then fully surrounds the stiffener andsoap bar. This dual wrapping uses more wrapping material than a singlelayer of material such as when the soap bar is substantially rectangularor in the use of flow wrapping techniques. This use of material in twopiece wrapping can be decreased if the wrapping technique similar tothat disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,009,511 is used. Here reinforcementbands adjacent each end of a package reinforce the end regions of apackage. This is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. This package concept savespackaging material and can be used to package soap bars with a generallyplanar bottom to the soap bar. However, this package of U.S. Pat. No.2,009,511 can be improved. It can be made from a single sheet ofmaterial rather than three separate pieces which reduces the cost ofmaking the package.

In the process of U.S. Pat. No. 2,009,511 reinforcing bands areadhesively attached to the outer wrapper. This requires the attaching oftwo materials together. The result is a package with reinforced endareas. This is an effective package for soap bars. There is an effectivereinforcing of the end edges to form a generally rectangular package.However, it has been found that a soap bar package with essentially thesame advantages can be made from a single sheet of material in place ofa sheet of material and two tapes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

It has been found that a package similar to that described in FIGS. 1 to3 of U.S. Pat. No. 2,009,511 can be made from a single film. This isproduced by forming gusset-like folds in the area where reinforcement isdesired. The gusset-like folds will produce a three layer structure forthe reinforcement bands. All or some of the walls of the folds can beadhesively bonded, one to the other. Such a three layer structure willprovide a significant reinforcement of the area of the gusset-like fold.

The gusset-like folds will be adjacent each of the longitudinal edges ofthe sheet of film. The gusset-like folds can extend inwardly to aboutany depth. However, it is preferred that they do not extend inwardly tothe extent that the gusset-like folds overlap. The folds which willprovide a three-ply structure results in significant reinforcement ofthe part of the package with the folds.

The gusset-like folds are made continuously by means of plows thatextend inwardly and that are usually used to form a gusset. Any gussetforming equipment and processes can be used. The forming of gusset foldsis well-known in the bag making art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the film blank to be formed to havegusset-like folds.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the blank of FIG. 1 folded.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a soap bar packaged in a film withgusset-like end folds.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed in FIG. 1 is a sheet of material 10 (a blank) that is to beformed into a package by making gusset-like folds. This sheet ofmaterial has three types of panels. There is a center panel 14, edgepanels 12 and gusset panels 16. There is a fold line 18 between centerpanel 14 and gusset panels 16 and a fold line 20 between edge panels 12and gusset panels 16. The sheet of material folds at 18 and 20. Thecenter panel 14 will form the top, bottom and longitudinal side surfaceof the soap bar package. This center panel also will contain most of thedecoration and information on the soap bar package. The edge panels 12will form the side closures and seals at each longitudinal end of thesoap bar. The bottom surface also will contain some product information.

The sheet of material 14 can be of essentially any material this such aspaper, paperboard and plastic. This includes paper/plastic,plastic/paper/plastic, plastic/paperboard, plastic/paperboard/plasticand plastic/plastic materials. However, plastics are preferred. Theplastics include essentially any thermoplastics such as polyethylenes,polypropylenes, such as biaxially oriented polypropylenes, polyvinylchlorides, polyvinyl acetates and polyesters such as polyethyleneterephthalate. The sheet of material can range in thickness from about10 micron to about 300 micron, and usually about 25 micron to about 200micron.

FIG. 2 shows the sheet of film 10 with the gusset-like folds. The centerpanel 14 is defined by gusset folds 18. Between gusset folds 18 and 20there are gusset panels 16. This then leaves edge panels 12. Thisstructure in the area of the gusset folds 18, 20 will be three-ply usingparts of center panel 14, the gusset panel 16 and the edge panels 12.This three-ply structure will provide a reinforcement to this area ofthe package. The gusset panels 16 collectively will comprise about 10percent to about 50 percent of the area of the center panel 14. In thewrapping of a soap bar this gusset panel usually will have a width ofabout 1 cm to about 5 cm and preferably about 1.5 cm to about 3 cm.

In use to form a package such as that shown in FIG. 3 to wrap soap bar22 the underside of film material 10 will usually have an adhesive layerand preferably a heat activated adhesive. In the alternative the filmmaterial is readily heat bonded to itself. In the wrapping of soap barsthe adhesive or heat bonding only needs to be strong enough to hold thegusset-like structure prior to and during the packaging operation. Oncethe package is formed, and all seals made, the package will maintain itsown integrity and the gussets will provide the reinforcing structure.Any adhesive that will bond to the plastic film can be used for theunderside of film material 10. Acrylics have been found to be useful,and in particular, heat activated acrylics. The adhesive layer will bein a thickness of about 1 micron to about 10 microns. An adhesive alsocan be applied between panels 16 and 12 to bond these panel sectionstogether.

In wrapping soap bars the film material of FIG. 2 with the gussetsbonded closed will be folded laterally around the soap bar with thecenter panel substantially covering the longitudinal extent of the soapbar on the top, bottom and side surfaces. The parts of edge panels 12that are not a part of the reinforcing gusset-like fold form the sidepanels for the soap bar wrapping. These side edge panels are folded toform inner fold segments 24(a) and 24(b) and outer fold segments 26(a)and 26(b) and sealed in the usual way. This is conventional folding andsealing. The wrapped soap bar of FIG. 3 illustrates the use of the filmof FIG. 2. The fold points of the gusset-like fold is shown at 16between folds 18 and 20 (shown as dashed lines). The ends of section 14of the film which forms a major part of the package are reinforced bythe gussets. There will be a conventional longitudinal seal on thebottom of the soap bar.

There is produced soap bar wrappers having reinforced areas from asingle sheet of material. This represents a savings in processing overthe packages which use two films. The forming of the gusset-like foldscan be made in-line in the packaging of the soap bars or articles of arelated shape. A single sheet of film is fed to the packaging machinewhich makes the gusset folds and feeds the film with the gusset foldsinto the packaging machine. The packaging machine then wraps the filmaround the soap bar and forms the seals on the ends and on the bottom ofthe soap bar package.

1. A packaged soap bar comprising a soap bar, said soap bar surroundedby a plastic film, said plastic film folded inward on itself in amulti-layer gusset-like fold adjacent the longitudinal edge of saidfilm, a margin of plastic film extending beyond said gusset-like fold.2. A packaged soap bar as in claim 1 wherein the layers if plastic filmin said gusset-like multi-layer fold are at least partially attached. 3.A packaged soap bar as in claim 2 wherein said layers of plastic filmare adhesively attached.
 4. A packaged soap bar as in claim 2 whereinsaid layers of plastic film are attached by heat welding.
 5. A packagedsoap bar as in claim 1 wherein said margin of plastic film is sufficientto form the sidewalls of said packaged soap bar.
 6. A packaged soap baras in claim 5 wherein said margin of plastic film is sealed by heatwelding.
 7. A packaged soap bar as in claim 5 wherein said margin isadhesively sealed.
 8. A packaged soap bar as in claim 1 wherein saidgusset-like fold is a fold of three layers of said film.
 9. A packagedsoap bar as in claim 1 wherein said gusset-like fold has a width ofabout 1 cm to about 5 cm.
 10. A packaged soap bar as in claim 9 whereinsaid gusset-like fold has a width of about 1.5 cm to about 3 cm.
 11. Apackaged soap bar as in claim 11 wherein said film has a thickness ofabout 10 micron to about 300 micron.
 12. A packaged soap bar as in claim11 wherein said film has a thickness of about 25 micron to about 200micron.
 13. A method of packaging a soap bar and a plastic film having alength with a longitudinal edge and a width, forming a gusset-like foldadjacent each longitudinal edge to provide at least three layers in saidgusset-like fold, a margin of plastic extending beyond the gusset-likefold, wrapping said film around said soap bar to fully envelop said soapbar, and folding and sealing said film to form said packaged soap barwherein said soap bar is fully enclosed within said film.
 14. A methodof packaging a soap bar as in claim 13 wherein said gusset-likemulti-layer fold is a three-layer fold.
 15. A method of packaging a soapbar as in claim 13 wherein the plastic film in gusset-like layers are atleast partially attached.
 16. A method of packaging a soap bar as inclaim 13 wherein the gusset-like folds are adhesively attached.
 17. Amethod of packaging a soap bar as in claim 13 wherein the gusset-likefolds are heat welded.
 18. A method of packaging a soap bar as in claim13 wherein the margin is sufficient to form the end walls of said soapbar package.